Display for portable hunting blinds

ABSTRACT

A display marker for a portable hunting blind has a height above the blind and can be seen from a distance, even if surrounded by brush or hills. The display marker resembles a hollow vertical tube that cannot be covered with a blanket of snow. The display marker can easily attach and detach from any brand model or style of blind without tools or without causing damage. The display marker can be collapsed to a small size to make it easy for transport and storage. The display marker displays an orange square of the required size in all directions. 
     Because the display marker is always visible, it provides much greater safety for those in portable hunting blinds as compared to conventional blind markers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 61/638,946, filed Apr. 26, 2012, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hunting blind accessories and, moreparticularly, to a display, typically designed in a bright color, suchas blaze orange, for portable hunting blinds.

Portable hunting blinds are so well camouflaged that humans as well asanimals cannot see them. Hunters inside the blind, even dressed inorange, cannot be seen by other hunters outside the blind. Thisconstitutes a grave hazard, as well as possible loss of life.

Many states require orange markers of specific size be visible from alldirections. Current products to satisfy the various state requirementsand enhance safety include orange side patches that can be blocked fromview by undergrowth and are not visible from all directions. Otherproducts include mats that can be laid on top. These mats, however, canslide, become snow covered, and may not afford the minimum specific sizerequired.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved marker for a portablehunting blind that can be viewed from all sides, does not get covered bysnow and is easy to install and remove.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a display marker for huntingblinds comprises a center pole; a collapsible upper framework attachedto the center pole; a plurality of pivotable vertical members disposedoutward from and about a periphery of the center pole; a fabric attachedto the pivotable vertical members, where the fabric encompasses at leasta portion of the center pole; a collapsible lower framework attached tothe center pole; a plurality of pivotable mounting legs forming at leasta portion of the collapsible lower framework; a plurality of outermagnetic units disposed at the end of each of the plurality of pivotablemounting legs; and a plurality of inner magnetic units mating with theplurality of outer magnetic units, where the plurality of outer magneticunits attract to the plurality of inner magnetic units with the huntingblind disposed therebetween, when the display marker is installed on thehunting blind.

In another aspect of the present invention, a display marker for huntingblinds comprises a flexible orange sheet material, with a plurality ofpivotable mounting legs and a plurality of outer magnetic units disposedalong the edge. The sheet is rolled into a cylindrical shape, and selfsecured. A plurality of inner magnetic units mating with the pluralityof outer magnetic units, where the plurality of outer magnetic unitsattract to the plurality of inner magnetic units with the hunting blinddisposed therebetween, when the display marker is installed on thehunting blind.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a hunting blind having a display markeraccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display marker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display marker of FIG. 1, with itsfabric removed for clarity;

FIG. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.1, illustrating the connection of the display marker to a portablehunting blind according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an unassembled display marker for a huntingblind according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the display marker of FIG. 5, assembledand ready for placement on a hunting blind.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a displaymarker for a portable hunting blind that extends from a top surface ofthe hunting blind, has a height above the blind and can be seen from adistance, even if surrounded by brush or hills. The display markerresembles a hollow vertical tube that cannot get covered with a blanketof snow. The display marker can easily attach and detach from any brandmodel or style of blind without tools or without causing damage. Thedisplay marker can be collapsed to a small size to make it easy fortransport and storage. The display marker displays an orange square ofthe required size in all directions. Because the display marker isalways visible, it provides much greater safety for those in portablehunting blinds as compared to conventional blind markers.

Referring to FIG. 1, a portable hunting blind with display marker 10 canbe formed from a hunting blind 16 having a display marker 12 disposedthereupon, as shown in FIG. 1. The hunting blind 16 can be virtually anymake or brand of hunting blind that may be used to provide shelter forhunters. The display marker 12 can include a lower structure thatattaches to an upper surface of the hunting blind 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, details of the display marker 12 areshown. The display marker 12 can include a center pole 21 having anupper framework 25 and a lower framework 14 attached to a center pole21. The upper framework 25 includes a plurality of pivotable upperstruts 28 extending from an upper hub 30. At ends of the pivotable upperstruts 28, pivotable vertical members 26 can extend toward the lowerframework 14. Lower slidable struts 36 can extend from a lower slidablehub 34 disposed on the center pole 21. The lower slidable struts 36 canbe pivotably attached to the pivotable vertical members 26.

The upper framework 25 can be designed similar to an umbrella, where theframework can be opened, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, and closed bysliding the lower slidable hub 34 along the center pole 21 toward theupper hub 30. A latch (not shown) can be used keep the display marker 12in an open configuration.

A fabric 32, such as a blaze orange fabric, can be attached to thepivotable vertical members 26 and extend entirely about the center pole21 so that the fabric 32 wraps around the pivotable vertical members 26.

The lower framework 14 can include a slidable upper hub 23 and a lowerhub 22. Pivotable mounting legs 18 can extend from the slidable upperhub 23 and pivotable struts 20 can interconnect the lower hub 22 withthe pivotable mounting legs 18. An outer magnetic unit 24, with one ormore magnets 38, can be disposed at the end of each of the pivotablemounting legs 18. Typically the outer magnetic units 24 are permanentlyattached to the ends of each of the pivotable mounting legs 18. However,in some embodiments, the outer magnetic units 24 can be removableattached from the pivotable mounting legs 18. In this embodiment, a cord(not shown) could be used to interconnect each of the outer magneticunits 24 to prevent loss thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the outer magnetic units 24 can be disposed onan upper surface of the hunting blind 16. A plurality of inner magneticunits 40, with one or more magnets 38, can be disposed inside thehunting blind 16, mating with the outer magnetic units 24, with thehunting blind 16 sandwiched therebetween. This can secure the displaymarker 12 to the hunting blind 16. The inner magnetic units 40 can besecured with a cord 42 for ease of storage, retrieval and deployment.

The magnets 38, on both the inner magnetic units 40 and the outermagnetic units 24 can be diametrically polarized so that they would beseparated from each other by rotating 180 degrees, thus furtherlessening the chance of damage to the fabric of the hunting blind 10.

The center pole 21, the upper framework 25 and the lower framework 14can be made from one or more various materials, such as metal, wood,plastic, composite, or the like. The fabric 32 can be made of fibers,natural or synthetic, blended, or both. It could be laminated, coated,or both. It could be cut with regular or irregular shapes, to allowflaps, thus softening the edges seen by wildlife. The fabric 32 istypically made in an orange color that is highly visible to humans. Thefabric 32 could be treated so as not to reflect UV light.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, in an alternate embodiment of thepresent invention, the display marker can be designed to store flat, asshown in FIG. 5, with flexible orange material 32A attached to aplurality of magnets 24A with attachment members 46. The flat displaymarker can be formed in a cylindrical shape, as shown in FIG. 6. Ends48, 50 of the material 32A can be designed to interconnect to retain themarker in a round shape.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display marker for hunting blinds, comprising:a center pole; a collapsible upper framework attached to the centerpole; a plurality of pivotable vertical members disposed outward fromand about a periphery of the center pole; a fabric attached to thepivotable vertical members, where the fabric encompasses at least aportion of the center pole; a collapsible lower framework attached tothe center pole; a plurality of pivotable mounting legs forming at leasta portion of the collapsible lower framework; a plurality of outermagnetic units disposed at the end of each of the plurality of pivotablemounting legs; and a plurality of inner magnetic units mating with theplurality of outer magnetic units, where the plurality of outer magneticunits attract to the plurality of inner magnetic units with the huntingblind disposed therebetween, when the display marker is installed on thehunting blind.
 2. The display marker of claim 1, wherein the collapsibleupper framework includes pivotable upper struts, attached to an upperhub, and lower slidable struts attached to a slidable hub, both thepivotable upper struts and the lower slidable struts supporting thepivotable vertical members.
 3. The display marker of claim 1, whereinthe fabric is a blaze orange, or a color highly visible to humans. 4.The display marker of claim 1, further comprising a plurality ofpivotable struts interconnecting the plurality of pivotable mountinglegs with a lower hub.
 5. The display marker of claim 1, wherein theplurality of outer magnetic units and the plurality of inner magneticunits include diametrically polarized magnets.
 6. The display marker ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of inner magnetic units are attachedtogether with a cord.
 7. The display marker of claim 1, wherein thedisplay marker is movable between a collapsed position, for movement orstorage, and an open position, for displaying the fabric thereabout. 8.A display marker for hunting blinds, comprising: a center pole; acollapsible upper framework attached to the center pole, the collapsibleupper framework including pivotable upper struts, attached to an upperhub on the center pole, and lower slidable struts attached to a slidablehub on the center pole; a plurality of pivotable vertical membersdisposed about a periphery of the center pole and supported by thepivotable upper struts and the lower slidable struts a fabric attachedto the pivotable vertical members, where the fabric encompasses at leasta portion of the center pole; a collapsible lower framework attached tothe center pole; a plurality of pivotable mounting legs forming at leasta portion of the collapsible lower framework; a plurality of pivotablestruts interconnecting the plurality of pivotable mounting legs with alower hub on the center pole; a plurality of outer magnetic unitsdisposed at the end of each of the plurality of pivotable mounting legs;and a plurality of inner magnetic units mating with the plurality ofouter magnetic units, where the plurality of outer magnetic unitsattract to the plurality of inner magnetic units with the hunting blinddisposed therebetween, when the display marker is installed on thehunting blind.
 8. The display marker of claim 7, wherein the fabric is ablaze orange or a color highly visible to humans.
 9. The display markerof claim 7, wherein the plurality of outer magnetic units and theplurality of inner magnetic units include diametrically polarizedmagnets.
 10. The display marker of claim 7, further comprising a cordinterconnecting the plurality of inner magnetic units.
 11. A displaymarker for hunting blinds comprising: a flexible material; a pluralityof magnets attached along one edge of the flexible material; and Aninterlocking mechanism disposed on opposite ends of the flexiblematerial permitting the flexible material to be rolled in a cylindricalshape with the opposite ends attached together.
 12. The display markerof claim 11, further comprising attachment members interconnecting themagnets with the flexible material.